Nurturing Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Skills in Young Females in Developing and Developed Countries

September 7, 2006

Sponsored by the International Public Relations Association (IPRA)
Cosponsored with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Emgineers, Inc. (IEEE), the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), the U.S. National Engineers Week Committee,
Girl Scouts of the USA and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS)

Moderator and organizer: Leslie Collins, Executive Director, National Engineers Week Foundation (Substituted for Pender M. McCarter, APR, Fellow PRSA, MIPRA, Director, Communications & Public Relations, IEEE-USA)

Panelists (order of speaking):

• Jin In, Manager, Global Action, Girl Scouts of the USA
• Anita Thomas, NGO Representative to the UN, World Association to the UN, World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
• Monica Shah, Director, Girl Leadership Development, Middle/High School, Girl Scouts of the USA
• Clementina Saduwa, IEEE Women in Engineering Coordinator for Africa, Europe, Middle East
• Michelle Tortolani, President-Elect, Society of Women Engineers (SWE)

This workshop discusses how to meet the educational and social needs of young females within the concept of human security and development. The panelists are drawn from various sectors of development to share a common experience in carrying out programmes working with girls worldwide to help them reach their potentials in any school subjects, particularly those of science, technology, engineering and math. The workshop highlights girls’ awareness of their potential, need, and social relevance of any subject fields as the key to advancing girls’ education to meet any development goals, including MDGs. The panelists agree that inspiration needs to go beyond classroom challenge or salary quote: girls often want to be convinced and reassured that the field or subject study they choose will render a value beyond materials. The prerequisites for advancement of girls’ interest and commitment in scientific fields are ‘right’ messages and communications to project beyond social values, prejudices and pressures to equip girls with necessary information they need to make decision. Particular emphasis is placed on partnerships and communications to scale up existing initiatives, tracking improvement, as well as to connect girls from developing and developed countries with similar interest and career goals. Strengths and lessons learned from successful programmes and strategies, such as Girls Act, GirlsGoTech, Mobile Tech for Girls, Tools VS Toys, K-12 for Women in Engineering and Internet Platform of Action, are shared and discussed to involve workshop participants.

The panelists stress the importance of middle school as most critical period to nurture girls’ potentials together with working out the enabling environment crucial for their support and influence – namely peers, families, schoolteachers and media. ‘Right messages’ to enhance girls’ participation in the fields of science, the panelists conclude, first and foremost, must come from ‘right’ attitude and involvement of those from such spheres of influence.